Easter Activities for East Bay Families (2021)

This year’s list of family-friendly Easter activities is brought to you by Lake Chabot Marina & Cafe. Easter 2021 is Sunday, April 4.

Easter 2021 is not the usual collection of municipal egg hunts, in-person church services, and brunches out on the town. But, we got this! There are plenty of special places to go and things to do to celebrate Easter in a way that is meaningful to your family.

Easter on the Water at Lake Chabot

March 20 to April 30, family pontoon ride on a styled patio boat, Lake Chabot, Castro Valley. Bring your little ones to the lake for a memorable Easter season. Lake Chabot is a lovely spot for family-friendly boat trips. They make it easy to book an outing and get two hours of a styled patio boat (by Al Dente Events), charcuterie box with spring cookies (by Brie Grazing Boards and Birdie Bakery), or Kids’ Sweet Spring Treat (by Its Jam ‘n Treats). View website >

Rates: Monday to Thursday $229 | Friday to Sunday $269
Reservations are now available for March 20 – April 30, 2021. Book your local adventure today
[email protected] or 510-247-2526

More Easter Outings and Creative Celebrations

March 6 to April 10, Mr. & Mrs. Bunny’s Carrot Farm, Vacaville. Reserve your spot for a family visit to a carrot farm. The base price is $25 for 2 guests and $10 for each additional guest. It looks like all activities cost extra.​

March 13 – 14, meet the Easter Bunny at Balestrieri Family Farm, Briones. Meet the Easter Bunny (the giant costumed kind) to snap some photographs at this event for families. $10 suggested donation. Wine-loving parents should know that the tasting room is closed. More information >

March 18 to April 3, Easter Bunny pictures, Pleasanton. The Easter Bunny is available for socially-distanced visits Monday through Saturday, noon to 7 pm, and Sundays from noon to 6 pm. Reservations are strongly encouraged. Book a spot >

March 20 to April 30, boating at Lake Chabot, Castro Valley. In addition to the patio boat (complete with snacks, Easter goodies, and decor), you can also rent kayaks, rowboats, and pedal boats. Make the outing to suit your family’s preferences. Book through Lake Chabot Marina & Cafe >

March 27, Color Me Mine Kids Night Out, Alameda. For $28, you can get a date night while your child (ages 5+) paints Easter-themed ceramics and watches the movie, Hop! Website >

March 20 through April 4. River Fox Easter Egg Express, Sacramento. Ride on open-air train cars for an hour before an egg hunt and Easter crafts. Learn more about the Easter Egg Express >

March 31 through April 4. Fairyland Fun, Oakland. Fairyland is open and such a joy for your children under 8. Visit Fairyland >

Friday, April 2 Kids Night at Twirl, Alameda. Reserve your spot for children ages 4 to 9 to have a kids’ evening out painting wooden eggs and playing in the outdoor garden space. Art materials are provided, but food is not. 6 pm to 8:30 pm for $30.

Saturday, April 3, 2 pm to 4 pm Bay Hills Church Egg-stravaganza, Richmond Outdoor, socially distanced celebration with decorated cars, a live DJ, photobooth, and Easter goodies. Prizes also available. RSVP via Facebook >

Saturday, April 3 Eggstravaganza & Family Day, Walnut Creek $25 covers a family of up to six people. Bring a blanket and your own lunch. Each child will receive a goody bag, access to crafts, photo backdrops, and an Easter-themed scavenger hunt for families. Website to Reserve a spot >

Saturday, April 3 @ 10 am, Easter Egg Cookie Decorating at the Claremont, Berkeley. The lawn of the Claremont Hotel has been the site of beautiful cookie decorating. Join them for Easter weekend. A dozen cutie patootie Easter Egg cookies cost $40 for your whole group. Website >

Saturday, April 3 Hoppy Easter @ Quarry Park Adventures, Rocklin. Quarry Park Adventures adds its ropes course, ziplines, and climbing to a family-friendly Easter activity day (hunts, caricatures, treats, photo ops). Use code HOPPY to save >

April 3 & 4 Easter Weekend Train Ride, Felton. While not as egg-stra as usual, the Roaring Camp Railroads Easter train with Easter Bunny photos sounds delightful. The Beach Train and the Steam Train will both be running. Learn more about Roaring Camp Railroads.

Sunday, April 4 Easter Ruth Bancroft Garden, Walnut Creek. Find a Bunny Scavenger Hunt, professional Easter photos, and seasonal floral blooms. Easter activities are free with paid admission. Free for Members, adults $10 (13 and up), $8 for seniors, and children 12 and under are always free. Well-behaved (leashed) pets welcome. Reserve your time in the garden.

Daily from 10 am to 5 pm Filoli Gardens, Woodside. Wander the trails, fields, and gardens at Filoli for a giant dose of spring beauty. Special challenges and guided tours for families. Learn about Filoli for families >

Special Easter celebrations at home

A Magical Photo with the Easter Bunny

PictureMeBunny.com has developed a simple way to get your perfect Easter bunny photo. You upload a picture of your child against a plain white backdrop and the PictureMeBunny folks work their photo magic to do the rest. It’s pretty darn cute for about $30.

Searching for Easter Eggs

We love an old-fashioned Easter egg hunt in the yard or living room. We also like when it spreads to the rest of the neighborhood. Whether you’re coloring paper eggs for your window, hiding specially painted rocks among the play yard structures, or creating a front-yard scavenger hunt for passersby, you can bring joy to the children in your part of the East Bay.

Easter Crafts for Children

Fairyland has an egg pattern and a few other iconic images to cut and color. The City of Piedmont has a collection of paper-based crafts that are fun to do with young children.  Choose your favorites from their Bunny Blast >

Find an easy Easter dinner or Easter brunch (to go) >>

Where will you be hiding or hunting for eggs this spring?

[Photos by 510families unless otherwise marked]

Big thanks to Lake Chabot Marina & Cafe for sponsoring our guide to enjoy the Easter season with kids.

xxx